SAN SISCO | Freo.SOcial | 17/07/2021

Photography - Six Strings Photography

San Cisco return home to Fremantle as part of their 'Between You And I' national tour. With the C word taking control of the east coast and effecting parts of this tour, sometimes it’s just nice to be home.

Montana Bourke opened the night on the turn-tables. Cultivating a chilled mix of tunes that entertained the Freo.Social crowd perfectly. Playing a few gems, it was a far more intimate experience than the generic iPhone in the sound desk. Montana carried the good vibes going between sets throughout the night which kept the punters moving.

As the anticipation grew, Noah Dillion and his band took to the stage, all sporting blue overalls. It was only fitting as they performed with unified tradesmen like grit. From the first chords the crowd was captivated by this showman. 

As 'Mathew McConaughey' played throughout the room it was clear that this was a fan favourite, the crowd was eagerly waiting for the opportunity to yell “Alright, Alright, Alright” mid song. A great addition to the set was Noah and his bands cover of Arcade Fire’s 'The Suburbs'. A great homage to the original with a sprinkling of Dillion dust that made it uniquely theirs. 

As the haunting lead guitar rang through 'Knievel Daredevil', it was time to inhale and take in Noah’s song writing. Another track that was popular with the crowd as the lyrics could be heard throughout the sea of punters. The highlight of the set for me was 'Sunburnt In July' which showcased how tight the band sounded and I just really enjoyed so much about this performance. 

The charismatic and high energy singer/songwriter from Fremantle captivated the crowd, showcasing that he and his band are an emerging force not just in Perth, but on the national scene.

As the lights dimmed and smoke filled the back hall of Freo.Social, San Cisco took to the stage whilst showered in a barrage of applause and strobe lights. With the opening notes of the keyboard filtering through the air like stage smoke, they were playfully met by Josh’s lead guitar riff. As the two instruments meandered beautifully, they were accompanied with Jordi’s vocals and Scarlett on the drums. From the audience’s participation 'Skin' was a great way to open the set. 

Transitioning seamlessly into 'When I Dream' it was clear San Cisco weren't messing around. A fully engaged crowd were transported to 2015 with the ultra-catchy 'RUN' and the vibe continued with the melodic and mischievous 'Shine'. The hauntingly beautiful 'Flaws' was one of my personal highlights of the night. Scarlett the bands drummer, joined Jordi centre stage for the pop laced ode to crappy friends 'Messages'.

It’s very clear the love and joy San Cisco get from playing and interacting with their audience. The banter amongst band members was that of a group of mates, making comments like their 2011 song 'Awkward' could be their 10-year-old child. A phenomenal cover of Tears For Fears 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' was a surprising palette refresher before the band finished the set strong with 'Reasons' and 'On The Line'. The punters final cheers turned to chanting for the routine Encore usually expected at the end of a great set.

Jordi re-entered the stage for a solo version of 'Between You And Me', framed beautifully by the stage lighting it was a very special and intimate moment. All hell broke loose as the rest of the band joined Jordi and the stage for 'Fred Astaire' which had the crowd going crazy! 'Too Much Time Together' was their final performance, a perfect ending to an amazing evening.

Review - Mark Francesca